CSAE Connect

#CSAE09 iPhone Volunteer Session Slides

What's happening in the mobile space right now is really exciting to me, because it's so much more than a one-way platform associations can use to push out content.  Given the increasingly passionate love affair so many of us are having with our iPhones, Blackberries and other devices, mobile offers a compelling way for associations to build a meaningful, always-on, always-accessible presence in the lives of our members that we can use for mutual benefit.

Watch this commercial by mobile device manufacturer HTC that crystallizes the role mobile devices are now playing in our lives:

There is no question in my mind that mobile is the future of associating, and I hope association leaders will begin thinking creatively about how they can deconstruct their existing macro-level volunteer opportunities to create a full spectrum of micro-level opportunities for voluntary engagement.  If associations can broaden and deepen engagement by making it simpler, more attractive and more meaningful for their stakeholders, it will open the door to many more compelling strategic opportunities for radical value creation in the years ahead.

Download PDF of IPhone Volunteer Slides (CSAE 09)

Jeff De Cagna is chief strategist and founder of Principled Innovation LLC, located in Reston, Virginia.  He can be reached at jeff@principledinnovation.com.

#CSAE09: Associations Next Workshop Slides

Hi everybody, today is Thanksgiving in the United States, but I'm here in Toronto at #CSAE09, and so far it's been great fun.  Yesterday, I presented my workshop, Associations Next: Serious Questions for 2010 and Beyond, and I tried a little experiment.  As I wrote on one of my slides:

What if somebody led a workshop and only asked questions?

For a little over three hours yesterday morning, about 70 leaders in the Canadian association community participated in a series of small and large group conversations around the many, many questions I posed to them.  (Download Associations Next (CSAE09) slides).  As I've already written, it was an experiment that I was motivated to try because I wanted to do something creative that would help me advance my effort to nurture new ways of seeing and thinking within association leaders.

Based on the reaction I've heard around the conference, this different approach worked.  I was pleased with how the session went, and it was a valuable learning experience for me as well.  Many thanks to the terrific participants who stayed with it even if they were a little bit uncertain about what we were doing at times!

Jeff De Cagna is chief strategist and founder of Principled Innovation LLC, located in Reston, Virginia.  He can be reached at jeff@principledinnovation.com.

See You in Toronto!

Is it that time already?  I can’t believe I’m packing my bags and getting ready to head to Toronto tomorrow…where did November go?!

I hope you’re geared up for what looks to be a great conference and tradeshow!  If the conversations taking place in response to Bud Crouch's article are any indication, this promises to be an event full of some pretty rich discussion on the future of the association sector and what not-for-profits can do to position themselves to succeed in the face of the opportunities and challenges coming down the pipe in the months and years to come.

For my part, I am looking forward to taking part in the conversation, seeing some colleagues and clients and meeting up with some new people.  If you are cruising the tradeshow floor on Thursday, swing by booth #618 to say hello!  Whether you’re looking for information on ARC’s consulting services, our blog, want some free stuff, or maybe just a suggestion on a good place to get something decent to eat in town, I’d love to meet you!

Hope you all have a great show!  See you in Toronto!

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Social Media for NFP’s But Were Afraid to Ask

Whether social media is just coming into your field of vision or whether you already have a comprehensive strategy in place, blogs are a great way to keep track of what’s coming down the pipe. 

I’ve been avidly reading a number of not-for-profit blogs over the past several months and have finally taken the jump and launched my own blog, The ARC, last week. 

While there are many great blog resources targeted at the not-for-profit sector, I thought that given the focus on social media at the upcoming CSAE Conference that I would share with you a few of my favourite not-for-profit social media blogs. 

So, in no particular order, here they are (drumroll please....)

Beth’s Blog – How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media:  Beth Kanter really knows her stuff when it comes to social media and not-for-profits.  I like this blog because it has a strategic focus and shares a lot of very usable and timely thoughts, learnings and resources.  

Case Foundation :  This blog made my list because of the live-streamed tutorial series they did last month called Gear Up For Giving.  These sessions were fantastic and showcased a number of experts in the thick of developing, consulting, and implementing social media strategies taking common and not-so-common questions from not-for-profit professionals.

Community Organizer 2.0:  I love this blog by Debra Askanase.  Debra is a big picture thinker and is extremely astute at taking the minutae of social media and putting it into a strategic context.  Lots of thought-provoking posts here with some great ideas and tips-of-the-trade. 

Wild Apricot:  This blog has a lot in the way of really good lists and links to different resources, tips and ‘how-to’s’ that range from basic to complex.  There are also some great posts that look at some of the bigger questions as well, in addition to some well-researched reviews of the new tools and technologies out there.

SocialFish: Written by ‘gen-x’ consultants Maddie Grant and Lindy Dreyer, I like the edgy tone in this blog and the variety of posts available.  This blog is well-written, tuned-in and ahead of the curve when it comes to social media and the not-for-profit world.      

Mashable: This resource isn’t specific to not-for-profits but is a powerhouse resource for all things social media.  This blog is powered by a large team of writers, so there are always new posts available on just about everything that is coming down the wire.

This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it is a good start if you are looking to keep your finger on the pulse of what’s going on in the world of not-for-profit social media. 

Looking for even more non-profit blogs to follow?  A more comprehensive list of some of my favourites can be found on the sidebar in my blog.  Non-profit 2.0, yet another really good blog to check out, also released a list of some heavy-hitter not-for-profit bloggers you might like to add.

Is there a blog that you know and love not listed above?  Please feel ree to add your favourites below!

Who do you follow?

 

 

A Message from Glenn Tecker

Glenn Tecker, the Keynote Speaker at the Opening Ceremonies taking place November 25th, 2009, is President and CEO of Tecker Consultants, an international consulting practice. He has served as an association executive and as a board member for both not-for-profit and for-profit organizations. Glenn has authored several books and articles on association leadership and excellence, including two books by the ASAE Foundation (Successful Association Leadership: Dimensions of 21st Century Competency for the CEO and  Building a Knowledge-based Culture: Using 21st Century Work and Decision-Making Systems in Associations).

Glenn does considerable work with CSAE. His leadership of CSAE’s CEO Symposium for the past 12 years has consistently received outstanding evaluations.

Toronto Buzz

We'll all be converging in Toronto in less than 2 months, so now is a great time to provide you with some insight and little-known facts about the host city.

In 1834, it offically became Toronto when the town incorporated itself as a city with a population of 9,254 people.   Today, with a population of 2.5 million, Toronto is the fifth largest city in North America .  That's one heck of a growth spurt!

In 1869, Timonthy Eaton opened his first store, T.Eaton & Co., in Toronto.  Today, while Eaton's stores have been gone for a decade, the Toronto Eaton Centre is a major tourist destination with 230 stores that attract around one million visitors per week.  Check it out for some great holiday shopping when you come in November!

In 1921, The Toronto Transit Commission was created.  Known today as the TTC, it has expanded greatly and nearly 1.5 million people use the system each day for only $2.75 per passenger.  Each TTC user is helping the environment!  While you're here, take a bus, subway or streetcar and reduce the environmental footprint you leave behind.

In 1931, Maple Leaf Gardens opened and the Toronto Maple Leafs won their first Stanley Cup in 1932 beating the New York Rangers.  In 1967, the Leafs won their 13th Stanley Cup.  Ever since then fans have been waiting to get out of 'unlucky thirteen' and are still waiting for another Cup win...42 years later.  Didn't I hear something about hockey tickets at last year's Conference?

Stay tuned for more Toronto Buzz with history, must-sees and dining recommendations for your stay with us in Toronto.  After the Conference, stay the weekend and check out all this city has to offer.

Lots of 'Big Ideas' On the Horizon for CSAE '09

 

 

Hi!  My name is Carol-Anne Moutinho.  I am a Senior Consultant with the Association Resource Centre Inc. (ARC), a full-service consulting firm that specializes in providing member, industry and consumer research as well as strategic planning for the not-for-profit sector.  I grew up in (and still love) Toronto but now live in Victoria B.C where I am extremely proud of the fact that I don’t own a shovel for my front steps or a scraper for my car.

As a member of the blogging team, I am really looking forward to helping make sure CSAE Connect is a valuable extension of the CSAE National Conference & Showcase ‘09. 

Few would argue that the not-for-profit sector is in the middle of a very interesting stage in its evolution.  In particular, world-wide phenomena like the economic slowdown, the information explosion, and the social media revolution are giving pause to not-for-profits everywhere on just about everything:  From governance and infrastructure to membership and member engagement, the very definition of the term ‘association’ is coming into question.

Its definitely time for some 'big ideas.'

On the roster for CSAE ‘09 in Toronto are several great industry innovators, leaders and experts getting ready to help generate a discussion on many of these key issues.  The Conference & Showcase promises to be a great opportunity for association professionals to connect, share ideas and innovate ways to mitigate the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities the sector currently faces.

This will be my third year attending the CSAE Annual Conference & Showcase and I couldn’t be more excited about this years’ program.  I hope you're planning on attending as well - its going to be a great show!

Cheers!

The Inside Scoop

As the 'CSAE insider', I'd like to introduce you to the team that works diligently to put together the CSAE National Conference & Showcase.  Keep an eye out for us at Conference and be sure to say 'hi'.

Jana Cassidy, Coordinator, Conference & Events handles registration.  Jana is the one who responds to many of your inquiries about Conference, processes your registrations, organizes your onsite packages and takes care of the speakers needs.  She is a 'jack of all trades' and keeps things up-to-date and organized.  Throughout Conference, Jana will be stationed at the registration desk handling your registration information needs.

Gail McHardy, Director, Conference & Events is the leader and champion behind the Conference.  Gail's vision for Conference is to ensure that members, both executive and business, attend, enjoy and leave with new knowledge, ideas and strategies to enhance their roles within their organization.  A real advocate for CSAE's Conference, her strive for excellence keeps us all on our toes and constantly learning and developing new skills.

Finally, I'm Claire Gettas, Manager, Conference & Events.  My main role is to handle the Showcase.  As a Conference attendee, you won't likely see me much on the first day as I will be at the MTCC getting ready for the big show.  Showcase is my pride and joy and I look forward to seeing you all walking the aisles and checking out what your business partners have to offer.

I am excited about this blog and hope you will enjoy the content.  I look forward to providing you with 'The Inside Scoop'.

The Launch of CSAE Connect

Welcome to CSAE Connect, the blog for happenings surrounding CSAE’s National Conference & Showcase ’09 taking place in Toronto November 25-27.  As a new initiative this year we hope that you will find the blog interesting, thought-provoking and entertaining.

 

Our team of bloggers, consisting of members, non-members, speakers and CSAE staff, will provide great diversity in the content provided on this blog.  You may find posts about a great education session, a hot spot to check out while in Toronto, or an interesting idea raised by a keynote speaker.  If you have comments or feedback about a posting, we encourage you to share them on the site.  We’d like to hear what you have to say.

 

Along with written content we will post pictures of the Conference throughout the event.  You may also share your pictures by uploading them live to the site.  This way it gives those who cannot attend a chance to see what’s happening and for those attending to remember some great moments.  We hope to have video posts and, possibly, live streaming content on CSAE Connect.  Stay tuned for more information.

 

This blog will provide an added bonus to those attending and for those unable to join us a chance to experience the event though various viewpoints.  I encourage you to bookmark this page, subscribe to the RSS, or follow us on any one of the social media sites we are involved with. 

 

More information and registration for the Conference is available at www.csae.com/conference.  Don’t forget we are offering some excellent pre-Conference education opportunities on November 24^th.

I look forward to seeing you in Toronto November 25^th – 27^th.  Share the information and enjoy the full benefit of the CSAE National Conference and Showcase Experience.

 

Michael Anderson, President & CEO

Canadian Society of Association Executives